Massage apparatus.



No. 876,103. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

' H. W.-'SMITH.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23.1906.

III 2 Q llll-ll or required vibration.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HERBERT W. SMITH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY M. BALLARD, OF

\ LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Application filed April 281 1906. Serial No. 313.187.

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. SMITH,

two parts or members 10, 12 separated by the slot 9 yet tied together at their upper and a citizen of the United States, residing in lower ends by the tie bars 13, 14, which latter Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Massage Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to massage apparatus of that class in which an eccentric mounted on the shaft of a motor, is moved or adjusted thereon to produce the desired The present invention has for its object to provide a self-contained apparatus in which the rotating parts are located within an inclosing casing, and the danger of accidents to the patient thereby reduced to a minimum.

Provision is also made for adjusting the eccentric from outside the inclosing casing,

while the ap aratus is in operation.

These an other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is an elevation of an apparatus embodying'this invention. Fig. 2 is a partial section and elevation of the apparatus shown Fi 1. Fig- 3, a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5, details in plan on an enlarged scale, to be referred'to. Figs. 6 and 7, details to be referred to.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents an electric motor secured within an inclosing case comprising two parts 2, 3, detachably secured together as by screw-threads 4. The electric motor 1 is provided with an armature shaft 5, upon which is mounted a circular disk or weight 6, which is capable of being moved from a position concentric with the armature shaft as shown in Fig. 5 into one more or less eccentric thereto, as shown inFig. 4.

In the present instance, the disk or weight 6 is secured to the shaft 5 by a pin or rod 8, extended loosely through said shaft and through a slot 9 formed in a device for effecting movement of the disk transversely of the armature shaft by movement of the device longitudinally of said shaft. The device referred to consists as herein shown of coiiperate with the rod 8 to limit the movement of the actuating device longitudinally of the shaft 5. The actuating device may be designated a sliding cam and is provided with inclined ribs 16, which move in inclined guideways in the walls of an opening in the disk 6, which opening is inclined with relation to the armature shaft and extends beyond the opposite sides thereof as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The ribs 16 connect the sliding cam to the eccentric disk, so that the cam rotates with the disk and the armature shaft.

By moving the sliding cam longitudinally of the armature shaft 5 in one direction indicated by the arrow 20, the disk 6 may be moved into various positions eccentric with relation to said shaft, and by moving said cam in theopposite direction, the disk ma be moved into a position concentric wit said shaft.

Provision is made for accom lishing this adjustment or movement of t e eccentric from outside the inclosing casing, and in the present instance, I have shown one form of means for accomplishing this result. For this purpose, the sliding cam has attached to or forming part of it a cylindrical extension or sleeve 21, arranged in line with the armature shaft and provided with an annular groove 22 forming an annular collar or flan e 23, which is adapted to be engaged by a su stantially semi-circular coupling member 24, (see Fig. 7 )'which has a substantially semi-circular groove 25 into which the annular collar 23 is adapted to enter. The coupling member 24 is attached to or forms part of a stem or rod 26, which is extended through the upper art 3 of the inclosing casing and is provi ed with screw-threads which are engaged by a nut 27 located outside of said casing. The nut 27 is secured to the casing in such manner as to permit it to turn freely, and this may be accomplished as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, by means of a plate or disk 28 through which the nut is extended and which overlaps a flange 29 on the lower end of said nut.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 6, it will be seen, that rotation of the nut 27 produces .preferably of that class longitudinal movement of the rod 26 and the slide cam coupled to it, while at the same time the slide cam is free to rotate with the eccentric disk 6, owing to the factthat the coupling member oricylindrical extension 21 is free to turn'in the substantially semi-circular groove 25. In this manner, the slide cam can be moved longitudinally of the armature shaft and thereb move the dlsk 6 from a position concentric with the armature shaft shown in Fi 5 into a position eccentric with relation thereto as shown in Fig. 4 and vice versa, while the armature shaft is in motion, thereby enabling the Vibration imparted to the inclosing casing and a device 30 which is brought into contact with the person treated, to be increased or diminished as desired, while the instrument or apparatus is in operation.

Tie device 30 is represented as a cup of rubber attached to a stem 31, which is provided with (screw-threads to engage one of a series of threaded holes or sockets 32 in the inclosing casing.

The electric motor may be sup lied with current by means, of wires 33 led t rough an insulated handle 34 shell, and said motor may, a suitable switch or circuit controller located 1n the casing and not herein shown, as such controller may be of any suitable construction such as now found on the market, but which is closed by pressmg on a button 35 (see Fig. 1) to close the motor circuit, and again pressing on said button to open the circuit. Access to the interior of the shell or casing for purpose of repairs may be had by-removingthe top 3 of the casing and tipping or moving laterally the coupling member 24 so as to disengage it from the coupling member 21. Provision is also made for indicating on the out' side of the casing the tric disk or weight, w ich may be accomplished by providing the nut 27 with a In or pointer 40, which cooperates with a stu 41 on the plate 28, as represented in Fig. 3, wherein the pointer is shown in the it occupies when the disk or concentric osition.

By rotatlng the nut 27 in the direction indicated by the arrow 45, the pointer is brought into engagement with the o posite side of the stud 41, at which time the disk or weight is in its extreme eccentric osition indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. The position of the eccentric disk intermediate the two positions mentioned is indicated by the osition of the pointer at a point interme iate the extreme positions mentioned.

It will be observed that the parts of the weight Is in its instrument whicharein motion are located within the casing or shell and consequently danger of injuring the patient as by rotatsecured to the casing or be controlled byosition of the eccen 1 position v ing parts being caught in the hair is avoided. It will also be observed that the eccentric disk or weight can be adjusted while the instrument is in operation,

I have herein shown one form of motor which I may prefer, but I do not desire to limit my invention in thisirespect.

Claims.

1. In an apparatus of the class described,

screw-threaded rod extended through said,

inclosing casing, a nut engaging said threadedrod on the outside of said casing, and means to secure said nut from movement longitudinally while permitting it to rotate,

substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, an inclosing casing, a massaging device attached thereto, a rotatable shaft located in said casing, a motor to rotate said shaft also located in said casing, a disk or weight, a su port for said disk or weight carried by an extended transversely of said-shaft, and upon which said disk or weight is ca able of being moved transversely of said shaft, a cam in sliding engagement with said disk and through which said support is extended, and means located outside of said casing and connected with said cam for efl ectin movement of said disk or weight transverse y of its shaft while said shaft is in rotation, substantially as described.

3. In'an apparatus of the class described, in combination, an inclosing casing, a rotatable shaft located therein, means to rotate said shaft, a disk or weight mounted on said shaft, a support for sai disk or weight carried by said shaft and upon which said disk or wei ht is movable transversely, and means hocated. outside of said casingfor effecting movement of said disk or wei ht on its support, substantially as describe 4. 11 an apparatus of the class described, in combination, an inclosing casing, a rotatable shaft within said casing, a device. supported by said shaft to rotate therewith and to permit radial movement with relation thereto, and means exterior to said casing and operatively connected with said device Within the casing to efiect radial movement of said device, substantially as described.

51 In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, an inclosing casing, a rotata- 4 ble shaft within said casing a weight mount- In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. v

i HERBERT W. SMITH ed on said shaft, a support for said weight carried by said shaft and extended transversely thereof and upon which said Weight is capable of moving radially with relation to said shaft, and means to effect movement of Witnesses: said Weight on its support, substantially as JAS. H. CHURCHILL, described. J. MURPHY. 

